FILM REVIEW : " THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION".

NAME : THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.

DIRECTOR : FRANK DARABONT. 

STORY : STEPHEN KING .

CAST : MORGAN FREEMAN, TIM ROBBINS, BOB GUNTIN,JAMES WHITEMOORE, WILLIAM SADDLER,GILL BELLOWS,CLANCY BROWN.

DURATION : 2HOURS 22 MINUTES.

LANGUAGE : ENGLISH .

RELEASE DATE : SEPTEMBER 23,1994. 

GENRE : PRISON DRAMA .

REVIEWED BY : SAYANTI DAS.

"The Shawshank redemption" is a movie highlighting the power of patience and strength of time and circumstances which force man to bow before them, but man though a prisoner of circumstances is able to break free through the bars with the help of indomitable spirit and unsurmountable confidence and patience.

The story revolves around Portland banker Andy Dufresne who is convicted of murdering his wife and his lover and is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences at the Shawshank state penitentiary. There he is befriended by Ellis "Red" Redding , all intimate and smuggler who helps him to procure a rock hammer and a poster of Rita Hayworth .

Andre Dufresne being a witty banker with expertise about banking loopholes, soon manages to become the tax advisor of the captain of the guards, Hadley, and later of the prison warden Samuel Norton. Using his clout among people who matter, Andy is able to extract favours like cold beer for his friends or playing music through the prison loudspeakers.

After a few years , a new convict Tommy brings in hope by claiming he had overheard  a criminal in another prison narrating how he had murdered a rich banker's wife and how the banker got convicted rather than the real culprit . Andy informs about this to Norton who gets Tommy killed beca oigulouse he did not want to lose Andy who was instrumental in helping him evade tax and launder money.

Norton threatens Andy that he would have to face bad consequences if he ever thought of discontinuing his services. Andy's cell is found to be empty the next day during roll call ,when an irate Norton throws a rock on the poster stuck to the prison wall . It is revealed that Andy over the period of 19 years had managed to dig a tunnel through the prison wall using his rock hammer . He had escaped from the prison with papers containing proof of Norton's money laundering. He withdraws the laundered money and mails the local newspaper evidence about the laundered money and murders at Shawshank. When state police comes, Norton commits suicide to avoid arrest .

The overbearing theme of the film is Hope - Hope that one day we would be free to enjoy life and it is highlighted in the end by the changed approach of Red who manages to get parole after fourty years of imprisonment and violates the term by crossing the borders and going to the place where Andy was waiting for him . The film ends with two friends embracing each other.

The film's only weak point is the slow pace and the absence of female characters which were responsible for its average box office business , but over the years , the film has managed to attain cult status among prison drama movies . The final message is  " HOPE is a good thing perhaps the best thing and no good thing ever dies".

By - Sayanti Das .